Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-07-08

o. paper he was so cnOlCe OF, IL Hugnu
come in useful. He said there was an
old colonel about here that had been in
the mutiny, and at Cawnpore when he
was puff, puff. l wish I'd another jug
of the old buffers ale here puff, puff.
Well, Pm dashed, if I remembered to
give back to the old bloke his cheese
parer." The vagrant viewed the pen
knife approvingly, "it'll be bad job if
can't get a tanner on it.
The colonel returned to the library, but
his granddaughter was not there. He
went to an escritoire, and, opening a
drawer, took out an old fashioned case,
the stamped velvet within of seedy hue,
the daguerreotype solarized, almost faded
out. But, though the portrait was so
shadowy, the face was visible to the
colonel as clearly as on the day when it
gave him pleasure to receive it.
'sMy poor murdered darlingr' he MUIR
INJURED, with sob.
He sat, the portrait in his hand, oblivi-
GUS of the passing hours. He heard moth
ing, not the tap on the door; he did not
hear Oceana open it, or see her when she
entered the room.
'sGrandpapa?'' calculated she softly.
eyes, child.n
He closed the case gently, to hurriedly
restore it to it's drawer.
''Did you not hear the gong?,
''No. 1.-The fact is, have been little
distracted"
Gambler tells me you have allowed the
poor man to go. How good of you!'
''He was an old soldier, Oceana. He
was at Cawnpore''- The colonel's
voice had hush in it. He rose to his
feet; he felt them little unsteady, him
self a little giddy. But he quickly recov-
cred himself.
Oceana was obseryant; she was anx-
ious.
''It has upset you, grandpapa; these
cases trouble you would not attend SO
regularly. Let Hartshorn go elsewhere. "
eyes, think so; he shall. I think 1
will rest more"
Oceana could not recall luncheon so
dull. If the colonel was not a humorist,
he attempted humor, and he talked of
something, Or drew out Mrs. Maux. But
this day he was preoccupied, his face sad
The colonel rose from tie table, Mrs.
Maux following suit, to pass through the
door the colonel held open. But Oceana
still sat in reverie, to become conscious
that her grandfather was lingering.
s'Grandpapa, Arthur will be here
SllOlUly w LII IIltt Olt LII CuC
She did not turn her head.
''Do not be anxious, child" her grand
father said, sympathetically, ~ shall not
be hard. could not be hard with any
one today.n
Still he fingered. A certain reserve
that even his grandchild had been unable
to pierce seemed to be slipping away from
him. He returned to place his hand under
Oceana's chin, and STOPPING, kissed the
lips of the upturned face fondly and tear
fully.
''Oceana, think after all it will be
better not to send him to me; I do not feel
equal to seeing him today. l will write to
him. I know what he will urge; it will
be pang to me to give you up-but he
will understand
She heard the library door close, then
she ran upstairs. In a few minutes she
was down again. Entering the drawing
room, she placed a chair in the bay, her
eyes strained towards the highway. The
screen of trees did not completely block
the view But she was impatient. She
raised the sash an inch; her ears
would acquaint her sooner than her
eyes. Yes, she caught the click Of
horses hoofs; it was not many moments
and the rider saw her, holding high his
whip.
Arthur Daunt rode away little disap-
pointed. How odd the colonel was:
Could not see him, would write. He had
counted upon staying to dinner an hour
after with Oceana. He must be thankful
for small mercies; the dear girl appeared
confident.
The gong sounded The butler won
dered, his master was so punctilious.
Amber entered the dining room. Oceana
and Mrs. Maux were standing at the fire.
''The colonel, where is he, Ambler?n
81 think he is in the library, Miss
Oceana. I will go-perhaps he did not
hear the gong"
Amber tapped at the library door, to
enter the room. The colonel was asleep,
his arms extended on his writing table,
his face bent low. Amber spoke, bui
the colonel paid no heed to him. Amber
waited a few moments, uncertain, then
was bold enough to approach his master.
In the colonel's hands was photograph
case, open; at his side a folded document,
oh which Amber read "Will." Amber
touch the colonel; there was no response
He raised his master and saw that he was
dead, and that he had covered an open
note on which was written
''Dear Arthur: 1 give Oceana to you.
Be good to her. Excepting q few lega-
cies, I have bequeathed everything to her.
Yours faithfully, HUGH DORMANT"
Edwin Whelpton in Belgravia.